1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to the method apparatus and system for extinguishing and capping burning or gushing oil, gas, geothermal, or water wells.
2. Related Art and Other Considerations
Few things on earth are as awesome and dangerous as oil or gas well fires. The extremes of temperature, pressure, noxious/toxic fumes, acidic impurities in crude oil, slippery conditions, limited visibility, and difficult site conditions combine to make extinguishing and capping a burning or gushing well very difficult and hazardous. Many developments such as automatic shut-off valves, safety valves and blowout preventers attempt to eliminate wild wells before they get out of control. These methods certainly reduce the risk of wild wells, but several well fires still occur in an average year throughout the world. They may be caused by static electricity, lightning, human error, higher pressure than anticipated, accidents, sabotage, or other reasons.
The standard methods of oil well fire-fighting and capping were developed in the 1920's or earlier. The most popular and universal extinguishing method consists of driving a crane-like piece of equipment close to the burning well so that it suspends a container of hundred of pounds of high explosives near the apex of the flame. The equipment operator then dismounts his vehicle and immediately vacates the area of the well. The explosive is detonated and (usually) sufficiently deprives the fire of oxygen to extinguish the fire. This leaves a gushing well with a high danger of reignition. Gushing wells are usually capped by several men going to the wellhead and connecting a control valve (e.g., Christmas Tree valve). The valve connection is accomplished mostly by hand with the aid of some tools and equipment, but the men are covered with crude oil and struggle against pressures that may exceed 20,000 psi. If a gushing well reignites from a static spark, heat, or lightning, all personnel in the vicinity who are covered with oil are endangered by a possibility of being instantly incinerated.
As a result of the oil field fires in Kuwait in 1991, several new methods of extinguishing well fires have been used with varying success such as liquid nitrogen injection and blowing out the fire with the exhaust of a jet engine. However, they all place people with only limited protection in close proximity to the fire and all leave a gushing well to be capped. Additionally, they are limited when another burning well is close by. The only method that extinguishes and "CAPS" a well simultaneously consists of dropping a heavy dome over the wellhead. The dome is only a temporary cap that must be removed to place the well into production.
Up until now, no method has been able to extinguish, cap, and place a well into production in a matter of minutes and without exposing people to crude oil, heat, flame, fumes, and slippery conditions.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method, apparatus, and system for extinguishing and capping burning or gushing wells with maximum safety and minimum exposure of personnel.
An advantage of the present invention is the provision of a method, apparatus, and system that renders a well usable a short time after plugging.
Another advantage of the present invention is the provision of method and apparatus for accomplishing the entire plugging operation by remote control from a distant position of safety, thus not endangering human life.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is the provision of apparatus and method that are operative on damaged well casings above ground, and even on casings that may be broken off below ground level.
Still another advantage of the present invention is the provision of apparatus and method that extinguishes and caps a well in a single process.
A further advantage of the present invention is the provision of apparatus and method which does not require explosives or an inordinate amount of time.
An even further advantage of the present invention is the provision of apparatus and method that extinguishes and caps a well right next to another burning well.
Another advantage of the present invention is the provision of apparatus and method which are more economical than alternative methods and equipment.
Another advantage of the present invention is the provision of apparatus and method which utilize components which are simple and reliable.